British GT Set for Championship Showdown in France

13 October 2006

On Sunday 22nd October the names of the 2006 Avon Tyres British GT Champions will be known as the teams and drivers from the GT2 category head to Magny Cours for the final two races of the season.

Chris Niarchos and Tim Mullen (Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430) currently hold a four point advantage over Tom Kimber-Smith and Luke Hines (Team LNT Panoz Esperante GTLM), but with 10 points on offer in the two 60 minute races there is all to play for as the title goes down to the wire. With 10 wins from 12 starts this season Niarchos and Mullen hold the advantage but the Team LNT pairing have been closing the gap on the flying Ferrari as the season has progressed and Kimber-Smith and Hines will be fighting for the title all the way to the final chequered flag of the season.

The pair of British GT competitors will be lining up alongside their French GT compatriots at the home of the French Grand Prix and expect the racing to be hard with the French series featuring a brace of more powerful GT1 class machinery as well as GT2’s. However this is something that both teams have experienced this year at the Le Mans 24 Hours and in the FIA GT championship.

Tim Mullen (#1 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430): “Magny Cours is a good circuit for us; it suits the Ferrari as it has some good high speed corners. Our plan is to go out there and win the first race which will give us enough points to take the Championship. Racing with the French GT’s might be tricky as they’ll all be having their own battles but I’m sure we can have a fair fight with LNT and get this thing sewn up.”

Tom Kimber-Smith (#57 Team LNT Panoz Esperante GTLM): “The championship is still up for grabs, Scuderia just need to have a non finish in one of the races and we would be back on terms in points. Luke and I are going our there to fight for the win. I think we’ve shown how much potential there is in the car this year and we are still improving all of the time. I’ve only raced at Magny Cours once before in 2004. The circuit is really good to drive, it’s very fast in some sections and the last 200yds is very slow. I think it’s got a bit of everything so the races should be very interesting.”

The two leading contenders will be joined in France by the Emotional Engineering Vauxhall Monaro and will be driven by James Brodie and Anthony Mott. Because the teams are running in the French GT races the teams will be using different numbers. The Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari will be running number 51, Emotional Engineering number 56 and Team LNT will run their usual number 57. The first 60 minute race takes place on Saturday 21st October, with the final race of the 2006 season on Sunday 22nd.

SRO

See 2006 series calendar for British GT Championship

Related Story 26.09.2006 - Scuderia Ecosse Take 10th Victory of 2006 as Machitski is Crowned British GT3 Champion